Banana packing means



G. VINICK BANANA PACKING MEANS March 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

GEORGE VIN \CK sllltlll llllll Filed Feb. 25, 1960 P ILQ I1 I ATTORNEYMarch 13, 1962 G. VlNlCK 3,024,935

BANANA PACKING MEANS Filed Feb. 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 20/ use I30 m8INVENTOR.

GEORGE VINHQK BY am ATTOQN EY ilnited rates Patent 3,024,935 BANANAPACKENG MEANS George Vinicir, 68 Virginia St, Springfieid, Mass. FiledFeb. 25, 196i), Ser. No. 10,970 I Ciaim. (Ql. 217-3) My inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in packing means and is directedparticularly to structural improvements in a packing pad which isdesigned for use as a protective means in the crating and shipping ofbananas as to be thoroughly effective for shielding same from injury dueto rough handling or from the effects of cold.

Broadly, the invention envisions laminations of sheet material with apadding material sandwiched therebetween to present a structure of acharacter designed to function as a protective means for bananas duringtheir storage and/ or shipment.

A particular object of the present invention is, accordingly, to providean improved flaccid packing member which combines a soft relativelythick pad body of strong, tough and durable material, with oppositefacings of soft, unabrasive material, which latter may be disposedwithin and against the interior walls of the conventional banana box andagainst the bananas themselves when same are placed into the box, allwithout marring or scratching the same and in manner to effectivelyprotect the bananas from damage by any object which may be jammedagainst the box during storage or shipmerit.

Another object is to provide an article of the character described whichmay be economically produced in quantity from cheap materials.

Still another object hereof is to provide a banana crate for theshipping of bananas having incorporated therewith a packing medium whichis integrally combined therewith in manner as to offer a reasonableassurance of the return of the said packing medium when said crate isreturned to the shipper following the removal of the bananas therefromby the consignee, it being well known that it is the practice in thetrade to return empty crates for subsequent reuse by the shipper.

The existing practice in the trade, whereby bananas and other softfruits are packed in shredded paper or excelsior or the like which isloosely disposed within boxes, has proved to be most expensive both withrespect to man-hours consumed and money expended. Additionally, theseprior art materials fail to provide adequate protection to the fruiteither against rough handling during shipment, or against extremes ofheat or cold while in storage or during shipment.

Accordingly, it is another object hereof to provide an improved packingmaterial consisting of a plurality of soft, relatively thick body orfiller portions of polyether or like material, with opposite and outerthin, durable covering portions of vinyl or like material enclosing thesame, the integral whole constituting a flaccid packing member havinghigh insulation value both against shock and extremes in temperature.

Another salient object of the invention is to provide an article ofsufficient durability so as to be capable of repeated use as a packingagent over a protracted period of time.

A further object hereof is to provide a pad of the character describedhaving a rectangular base section, and integral elongated end and sideflap portions, all having predetermined thicknesses in cross section. Bythis novel provision of sections or portions, when the end and side flapportions are folded over the article to be shipped in enclosing manner,the desired insulation and protection is provided.

Still another feature is to provide a pad of the type which may beeasily modified so as to provide additional or intermediate end flapportions, all to the end that additional protection may be afforded tothe fruit being stored or shipped.

Another salient feature of my invention lies in the fact that all of theseams connecting the adjacent sections or portions and the outerperipheral edges are pressure sealed to provide extra long life to thepad and to give the article a neat, symmetrical appearance, making itquite suitable for use in connection with fruit displays, if such usedesired.

Another feature resides in the provision of a coldresistant, heavyguage, vinyl film as the outer surface of the pad,'thus giving the pad21 high resistance to fruit juices, citric acids and the like andallowing it to remain odorless even when wet.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pad which issanitary and which can be cleaned quickly and simply without the use ofagents other than water.

Another essential point in the invention is to provide fastening means,such as grommets, eyelets or the like, which are extendable through thebase section of the pad whereby same may be securely adixed to ashipping container as by bolts extending through the said grommets oreyelets and the bottom surface of the container and nuts threadedlyengaged with such bolts.

The novel features which I consider to be characteristic of my inventionwill be best understood from a consideration of the following detaileddescription form- ;ing a part of this specification; nevertheless it isto be understood that the invention is not confined to such disclosure,being susceptible of such changes and modifications as shall define nomaterial departure from the salient features of the invention asexpressed herein; and it is further understood that this specificembodiment is illustrative, by way of example, of the principle of theinvention and the best preferred mode, which has been contemplated, ofapplying that principle by way of a specific construction, in accordancewith US. Revised Statutes, Section 4888.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the packing pad disposed within abanana box, preliminary to the packing operation;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the pad of the invention with the end andside flap portions thereof disposed in the extended or open position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the base section of the padshowing same engaged with the bottom wall of a banana shipping box;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modification of the pad shown in FIG.2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the modified pad shown in FIG. 5 withintermediate flaps thereof in rolled condition; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged broken sectional view taken on the longitudinalmedian line of FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate typical and preferredembodiments of the invention for the purpose of disclosure and form apart of this specification, I have shown, in FIG. 1, a packing pad,generally designated by numeral 2, disposed within a banana box,generally designed by numeral 3. Said pad comprises a rectangular basesection 4, a pair of oppositely disposed end flaps 6 which extendoutwardly from the opposite ends 8 of the base section 4, and a pair ofoppositely disposed side fiaps 10 which extend outwardly from theopposite sides 12 of the base section 4.

Said pad 2 is comprised of a plurality of separate relescapes ati'velythick body or filler portions 14, 16 and 18 which are generallyrectangular in shape, and are comprised of polyether or like yieldablematerial.

Said filler portion 14 serves as the filler for what forms the basesection 4, said filler portions 16 and 16 serve as fillers for what formthe end flaps 6 and 6, and said filler portions 18 and 18 serve asfillers for what form the side flaps 10 and 10.

The filler portions 16 and 16 are spaced from the filler portion 14 atthe opposite ends thereof and the filler portions 18 and 18 are spacedfrom the tiller portion 14 at the opposite sides thereof.

The spaced filler portions 14, 16, 16, 18 and 18 are disposed between apair of outer layers and 22 of heavy guage vinyl film, said layers beingof identical size, shape, and configuration, and being contiguous andjoined together at their transverse and longitudinal outer edges 30 asby conventional heat or pressure sealing.

Adjacent the opposite ends 8 and sides 12 of the base section, thelayers 20 and 22 are additionally joined together as by heat or pressuresealing.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the filler portion 14 willbe of a certain thickness, say approximately one inch, the fillerportions 16 will be of another certain thickness less than said certainthickness, say approximately one-half inch, and the filler portions 18will be of still another certain thickness less than said anothercertain thickness, say approximately one-quarter inch, thus providing apad which will offer substantially equal thicknesses on both the top andbottom of the structure when the end and side flaps are folded over uponthe fruit disposed within the liner.

Disposed inwardly from each of the opposite ends 3 and sides 12 of thebase section 4 of the pad, and diagonally opposed as to each other, aregrommets or eyelets 24. Said grommets extend through the layers 2% and22 and the filler portion 14 in manner to provide circular apertures 26,which apertures are suitable for receiving bolts 23 or other fasteningdevice therethrough, as shown in FIG. 4.

Thus, when the pad or liner 2 is disposed within the container 3, thebase 4 of the pad may be secured to the base 31 of the container by theinsertion of bolts 28 through apertures 26 in said base section, andthrough appropriately aligned openings 32 in base 31 of the container.The bolts 28 may then be secured as by the nuts 34 threadedly engagedtherewith.

It is contemplated that the base section of the pad 2 will be of thesame dimensions and configuration as the base of the container 3, thatthe base of the pad will be superposed upon the base of the container,and that the two will be secured together, if desired, as by the bolts28, The sides 10 and the ends 6 of the pad, being of a width greaterthan the corresponding ends and sides of the container, will extendbeyond the upper edges of said container ends and sides, as shown inFIG. 1. Thus, when bananas or other fruit are disposed within thecontainer, the end and side flaps 6 and 10 of the pad 2 may be foldedupon the fruit, giving it a high degree of protection. If a lesserdegree of insulation or protection is desired, either the end flaps 6alone, or the side flaps 10 alone, may be folded upon the fruit.

A bunch of bananas or other fruit is placeable within the banana crateinto which the device of the invention has been placed and secured andthe side and end portions may be brought into operative positionthereover in overlapping manner so as to hold the fruit out of directcontact with the crate proper whereby the bruising of the fruit is thusobviated and the fruit is insured against direct exposure to the air soas to avoid freezing or the like.

The packing pad shown in FIGS. 5-7 is generally designated by thenumeral 102. The pad com-prises a rectangular base section 104, a pairof opposite end flaps 106, 106 which extend outwardly from the ends ofbase section 104, and a pair of opposite side flaps extending outwardlyfrom the sides of base section 104.

As with pad 2, pad 102 is comprised of a plurality of separaterelatively thick body or filler portions 140, 16% and 180 of polyetheror like yieldable material and which are disposed between a pair ofouter layers and 122 of heavy gauge vinyl film, said layers being ofidentical size, shape and configuration, and being contiguous andjoin-ed together at their transverse and longitudinal outer edges and atthe juncture lines of the base section and the respective end flaps andside flaps as at 108 and 112 respectively as by conventional heat orpressure sealing.

One of the end flaps 106 is of substantially greater length than theother of the end flaps 106 and such elongated end flap is designatedherein as 106'.

Such functions as the outermost covering when the structure is assembledin operating relationship in the box so that said end flap 106 extendsthroughout the length of the structure so assembled.

Additionally, intermediate end flaps 107 are hingedly connected as at201 at their inner ends to opposite ends of the base section 194 as byheat sealing or the like.

The intermediate end flaps 167, like end flaps 106 and 106' comprisetiller portions 260 of polyether sandwiched between outer layers 220 and222 of sections of vinyl film, said layers being continuous and joinedtogether at their transverse and longitudinal outer edges, as at 230,and at their transverse inner edges, as at 231.

As shown in FIG. 6, the intermediate end flaps may be rolled relative tothe base section 104 to provide additional protection to the fruit afterthe pad has been placed in a banana box and the fruit deposited therein.

Grommets or eyelets 124 are similarly provided as in the case of liner2.

It is contemplated that the base section 1&4 of the pad 102 Will be ofthe same dimensions and shape as the base of the container with whichused, that the base of the pad will be superposed upon the base of thecontainer, and that the two will be secured together, if desired, as bythe bolts. The sides 110 and the ends 1626 of the pad, being of a widthgreater than the corresponding ends and sides of the container, willextend beyond the upper edges of said container, ends and sides. Thus,when bananas or other fruit are disposed within the container, the endand side flaps 106, 166 and 110 of the pad 102 may be folded upon thefruit, giving it a high degree of protection.

Without further analysis, the foregoing is intended to so fully revealthe gist of my invention and its construction and operation that otherscan, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for variousapplication without omitting features which, from the standpoint ofprior art, fairly consititute essential characteristics of its genericand/or specific aspects. The substitution of equivalents and otherchanges, modifications and alterations as cir cumstances may suggest orrender expedient, are contemplated since the invention is susceptible ofsuch without departing from its real spirit or underlying principles.Stated otherwise, it is not desired to limit this invention to the exactconstruction shown and described as the objects hereof may be attainedby the use of constructions dilferent in certain respects from thatdisclosed; for instance, the pad may be rectangular, square or oval inshape, as desired.

The reference to the shipment of bananas is to be considered in arelative rather than an absolute sense, it being obvious that thepacking pad may be used in the shipment of other soft fruits.

The invention is claimed, broadly as well as specifically, as indicatedin the appended claim, and same is desired to include within the scopethereof all of said suitable variations, modifications and equivalentsby which substantially the results of the invention may be obtainedthrough the use of substantially the same or equivalent devices ormeans. Accordingly, limitation hereof should only be made as determinedby a proper interpretation of the subjoined claim.

What is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

A packing pad for disposition in a banana box and comprising, a basesection and opposite end flaps and opposite side flaps hingedlyconnected to said base section at opposite ends and sides respectivelythereof with said end flaps and side flaps being adapted for embracingthe ends and sides of bananas respectively when disposed upon said basesection and for being disposed in overlapping relation on the top of thebananas, the base section, end flaps and side flaps comprising heatscalable plastic sheets heat sealed at their edges to form pockets,separate cushioning members in said pockets, the cushioning member ofsaid base section being of a certain thickness, the cushioning membersof said end flaps being of another thickness less than said certainthickness, the cushioning members of said side flaps being of athickness less than said other thickness, one of said end flaps being ofsubstantially greater length than the other of said end flaps, a pair ofintermediate end flaps similar to and overlying said first mentioned endflaps hingedly connected to said base section at opposite ends thereofand being rollable into pillow formation adjacent the opposite ends ofsaid base section, and a plurality of grommets extending through saidbase section for accommodating fastening means for securing the packingpad to the base of the banana box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,187,749 Lane June 20, 1916 2,143,662 Schwarz Jan. 10, 1939 2,194,008Colburn Mar. 19, 1940 2,781,820 Rogers Feb. 19, 1957

